Carnival does the Ice Bucket Challenge, fleet wide

By Jerry Limone

Personnel on all 24 of Carnival Cruise Lines' ships, plus CEO Gerry Cahill, took the “Ice Bucket Challenge,” getting doused with ice water to create awareness for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

John Heald, Carnival’s senior cruise director and well-known blogger, was the star of a three-minute video, getting drenched with a garbage can full of ice and water on the Carnival Miracle, then warbling “Let It Go” from the Disney movie “Frozen.”

Carnival is making a $100,000 donation to the ALS Association. Click to make a donation. 

Ken Muskat of MSC Cruises has plans to take the Ice Bucket Challenge on the MSC Divina while the ship is in port in Miami on Friday.

The Ice Bucket Challenge has gone viral on social media, and several celebrities and politicians have accepted the challenge.

Norwegian at cruise capacity 'tipping point'

By Lucy Huxley 

Norwegian Cruise Line is coming to a "tipping point" in terms of new capacity arriving and needs to "get serious" about growing international markets to ensure it fills it.

The line, which recently launched Breakaway (pictured) and Getaway, will add another four new ships between 2015 and 2020.

Francis Riley, director of international markets, said: "We need to be looking at the long-term strategic investment in international markets; whether that's through marketing, buying more charter seats, or how we're driving more distribution."

He said getting more agents selling Norwegian, and more training and education to make sure they are targeting the right customers, was key.

"The biggest opportunity for us is to support the capacity growth that's coming in with all our new ships by developing our international business - and that bodes really well for the UK as it's our biggest single market outside the US."

Riley added: "I think my biggest fear is that typically, there's only one cruise specialist in any agency. That keeps me up at night.

"Every agent sells a package but not every agent feels comfortable selling a cruise, and that has to be my biggest concern as the sector grows. It's our responsibility as an industry to tackle this issue."

He said he understood agents had a lot of pressures so said it was "important to make them understand the differentiation between the cruise brands".

Riley claimed Norwegian's Partners First scheme was enjoying huge success by rewarding agents that work in true partnership with the line to grow both their businesses.

He claimed that despite reducing base commission to 10%, Norwegian had paid out "just as much if not more" in rewards to those key agents that had performed really well for the line.

"Agents have the opportunity to earn well in excess of the base rate and many do. Many of them are retaining more commission than they ever have done with us," he said.

Riley claimed Norwegian, having posted 24 quarters of consecutive growth, could now truly claim to be "industry leading rather than industry following".

"By any measure, whether it's EBITDA, net per share, net revenue, Norwegian is now best in class," he said.

Big Ships vs. Small Ships

Big Ships vs. Small Ships: the Pros and Cons of Cruise Ship Size

Too big or not too big? That's the question for a lot of cruisers thinking of trying a ship of a different size, whether they're newbies or old salts. With mega-vessels featuring a dizzying number of amenities, dining choices and entertainment options, and small ships offering a more intimate and often exclusive experience, the size decision can be a difficult one. We've compiled a list of elements to consider before making a choice about whether bigger is better or small is the way to go. Check out our pros and cons below. Editor's Note: For the purposes of this article, we're considering "small" ships to be any vessel carrying 1,599 or fewer passengers and "big" ships to be anything with a passenger capacity of 1,600 or more. Big Ships Number of Passengers Pro: If you're someone who doesn't mind a crowd, a big ship is the place to do it. With some ships -- like those in Royal Caribbean's Oasis Class -- carrying more than 5,000 passengers per sailing, it's unlikely you'll run into the same folks twice during a week long voyage. With so many bars, lounges and out-of-the-way nooks and crannies, it's easy to find a spot for yourself, but those who like to constantly meet new people will particularly find mega-ships appealing. Con: Sailing on what's essentially a floating city can be overwhelming and likely won't feel intimate. On large ships with poor layouts, lines for everything from the buffet to the theatre can be long, and good luck finding a deck chair by the pool. Dining Options Pro: If you're easily bored with eating in the same dining room every night, large ships provide lots of options to switch it up. On larger vessels, you can have sushi one night, Italian the next, French the following evening and seafood or steak the day after that. The possibilities are almost endless, which is a plus for anybody who's a picky eater (or anybody who's travelling with one). Con: Chances are good that you'll end up shelling out extra cash to dine at least a couple of the alternative eateries. Reservations can be difficult to come by for some of the more exclusive options; if you're dying to try one in particular, book before you board. Entertainment Offerings Pro: Larger ships boast more bells and whistles, so it follows naturally that they present more entertainment options. From comedians, game shows and Broadway revues to magicians, movies and dinner theatre productions, there's something to keep just about everyone busy. Con: Sometimes it's difficult to decide where you want to be and what you want to do. Should I catch the movie on the pool deck or head to the lounge for karaoke? If I miss the show tonight, can I see it again during this sailing? Also, a select few events do carry an additional fee to attend, which can be a drawback. Activities Pro: Add ropes courses, skydiving and innovative water slides to the host of options that keep passengers busy on board. Because larger ships offer something for just about everyone, they're often a solid choice anyone who's easily bored, couples or groups with varied interests and multi-generational groups. (Think bingo for grandma and grandpa, dinner shows for mom and dad, and innovative children's programming for the kids.) Con: As is the case with a large selection of entertainment options, having too many activity choices can make any cruiser's head spin. Small Ships Number of Passengers Pro: Small ships, by definition, carry fewer passengers. You'll likely see the same faces over and over on a daily basis and get to know them exceedingly well by the end of your sailing. Con: If you're someone who prefers to keep a low profile, a vessel with a larger passenger count is probably a better bet. On a smaller ship, a handful of annoying passengers can make or break a trip. Dining Options Pro: Many small ships, due to their limited space, have only one main dining room for meals, and they generally don't allow for anything other than eating at set times with set table mates. (Others might have alternative eateries, but they're limited.) Con: Menu options can be slim, especially with a shortage of alternative restaurants. If you're someone who likes variety, you might have trouble finding it on a smaller vessel. Entertainment Offerings Pro: You won't find much in the way of casinos, theatre productions or magicians, but that leaves room for more educational pursuits. Small ships often provide enrichment seminars on everything from photography to local culture. Sometimes local performers are brought on board to entertain, as well. Think historians, musicians and dancers. Con: If history and culture aren't of interest to you, you might have trouble finding something to occupy your time on board. Be prepared to bring some reading material. Activities Pro: Because small ships don't offer the plethora of amenities that large ships do, the sailings they provide focus mainly on the destinations they visit, rather than the vessels themselves. That means excursions are key, and they often focus on the history and culture of a region, making it easy for cruisers to immerse themselves in their surroundings and learn a lot about the places on which they call. Also, due to their tinier size, small ships can call on more remote ports that can't accommodate mega-ships. Con: Marathon shore excursions can leave you feeling like you need a vacation from your vacation. Prepare to spend a day on board relaxing and taking it easy if it gets to be too hectic.

99 Days of Quantum: BEAUTIFUL evening Quantum of the Seas photos

99 Days of Quantum: BEAUTIFUL evening Quantum of the Seas photos

Aug2014

We're counting down to the 99 days until Royal Caribbean's newest cruise ship, Quantum of the Seas, launches with a brand new blog post every day. Be sure to check back for something new everyday here.

Beautiful evening Quantum of the Seas photos

e posted last week the first batch of beautiful photos we could find that were quite lovely but we ran across a batch of photos that Jens Hagens posted and it was so darn beautiful we had to share these too. Can you really have too many beautiful Quantum of the Seas photos?

Special thanks JENS HAGENS PHOTOGRAPHY to for providing the photos.

Former Tui boss Wimbleton to head Cruising Excursions

Cruising Excursions has announced a change in shareholders, of directors and the appointment of former Tui Specialist and Activity managing director John Wimbleton as chairman.

Managing director Simon Purchase has relinquished his shareholding to a group of industry stalwarts including White Hart Associates partner and former director Richard Knight, and left the company to “pursue other commercial directions”. Ola ceased trading last November.

Cruising Excursions, which is widely credited for revolutionising the way cruise excursions are sold in the UK, has meanwhile promoted general manager Simonne Fairbanks, who has been with the business since start-up in 2011, to chief operating officer and appointed her to the board of directors, which also includes Wimbleton and Knight.

It is understood the board is also looking for a chief executive officer from outside the industry.

New Cruising Excursions chairman Wimbleton was at First Choice then Tui for 22 years and currently holds various industry positions including as chairman of Scott Dunn and as non-executive director of European Travel Ventures and as a travel industry advisor for Catalyst Corporate Finance.

He said: “I’ve watched and been impressed by cruisingexcursions’ rapid growth over the years – it launched with 240 excursions at 60 Med ports and now has around 10,000 excursions at more than 700 ports worldwide.

"I believe this company will continue to go from strength to strength – virtually every month it has exceeded its targets.”

He said building the company’s direct business would be one of his focuses.

“The trade has embraced the concept of pre-selling cruising excursions but there is a huge untapped consumer market out there and I look forward to directing investment in addressing this area in the next stage of growth.”

Photi said: “John Wimbleton is a travel industry professional with over 35 years experience in tour operating and distribution at board level, with extensive international experience.

"He has the exact credentials to lead cruisingexcursions.com in the next stage of growth, which includes expansion in the European and International markets.”

Cruising Excursions is currently on sale with 99% of the travel trade, including Tui, Global Travel Group, Thomas Cook and Advantage and accounts for 50% of the company’s overall sales.

Agents receive up to 16% commission with the average agent sale being around £280 thanks to multi package products. The company has recently expanded into Europe and the website is available in French, German and Dutch versions. There is representation in the USA and is expanding rapidly in Australia thanks to a deal with the appointed GSA Harvey World Travel.

Disney hikes NCFs for cruises, drops air commission on tours

By Tom Stieghorst

Disney Cruise Line on Aug. 18 is changing the structure of its non-commissionable fare (NCF), which will raise the amount of fare exempt from commission on most cruises.

Also starting Aug. 18, tour operator Adventures by Disney will no longer pay commission on the air portion of packages. It will continue to book air arrangements.

The new NCF system creates a sliding scale based on cruise length.

Currently, the NCF is a flat $20 per person, per day. Starting next week, the line will deduct $25 per person, per day on voyages of six days or less, and $30 per person, per day on trips between seven and 10 days.

Disney is leaving the amount at $20 for cruises of 11 days or more.

Also at Adventures by Disney, pre- and post-tour stays at non-Disney branded hotels will not be commissionable.

Disney said commissions will be paid on Disney resorts for pre- and post-tour stays related to itineraries in Southern California, China, England and France. 

Ex-P&O Cruises head in temporary charge at Hurtigruten UK

Former P&O Cruises head of brand marketing Philip Price has taken over as temporary head of Hurtigruten UK following the departure of Kathryn Beadle.

Price has been named interim managing director for the Norwegian coastal voyage and expedition cruise company for the UK and rest of the world.

His appointment follows last month’s announcement that Hurtigruten UK managing director Beadle was stepping down.

Price left Southampton-based P&O Cruises in January 2013.

He has been contracted to head the Hurtigruten operation in London for two months while the company seeks a permanent successor to Beadle.

Hurtigruten chief commercial officer Magnus Wrahme approached Price to take up the interim position after the latter worked on a marketing project for the line earlier in the year.

Price has provided marketing consultancy support for a number of travel companies including Thomson and Iglu.com.

Cruise-only sales model perhaps on the decline

By Tom Stieghorst

With Cruise Holidays becoming a division of Vacation.com, agencies will transition from a franchise model to a licensee model, which will lower fees.

The move may signal that the once novel cruise-only model of travel sales is on the wane.

Cruise Holidays has grown only marginally over the past four years, from 202 in 2010 to 214 franchisees today, according to Entrepreneur magazine. Cruise Holidays said Entrepreneur did not count a master franchise in Quebec, involving about 50 agencies.

Even so, U.S. franchise units have dropped sharply, falling from 168 in 2010 to 118 this year. Growth has come from Canadian and international sales, but even those locations fell compared with last year, according to Entrepreneur.

Cruise Holidays said that when home-based operators are included, it had 261 franchisees at the end of 2013.

Meanwhile, Vacation.com is growing rapidly. At its annual meeting, it reported 200 new members in just one year, bringing the total membership to 5,300.

Liane Lance, an outside agent with Cruise Holidays of Kansas City, called the reorganization "kind of a no-brainer."

Jim Smith, a veteran industry consultant and former president of GEM, one of the predecessor companies to Vacation.com, agreed. "The only thing that's remarkable is why it took so long," he said. "The marketplace over time has evolved."

Smith said that in the late 1980s and early '90s, Cruise Holidays was a great business model, and it remains strong.

"However, when you look at everything that V-com brings to the table in terms of their marketing and technology wherewithal, not to mention their aggregate revenue reach, this can only be a boon for the Cruise Holidays agents and agencies," Smith said.

Lance said more than 70% of her business comes from land vacations, so the hookup with V-com will help there.

John Lovell, president of Consortia and Leisure, cited the number of preferred tour operators as a key benefit for Cruise Holidays members.

Lance also said she will have access to a V-com regional manager, something Cruise Holidays didn't offer because of its size.

Lovell said Cruise Holidays will stop selling new franchises, but could grow through mergers. He said franchisees will be offered financial incentives to convert to the new agreement by Sept. 30.

Stacey Coggan, a home-based Cruise Holidays agent in Hainesport, N.J., said some franchisees had been hoping for this outcome since Lovell took over leadership of the brand last summer. "I couldn't be happier," she said.

Lovell said Cruise Holidays agents will participate in V-com's annual conference next May on the Quantum of the Seas but will have their own program within that meeting. The brand's President's Circle awards will continue for three years, after which they might be folded into V-com's award program, he said.

Besides the brand, the Cruise Holidays website is being preserved, as AgentMate, a popular booking system formerly known as CruiseWeb. 

Quantum of the Seas Fact Sheet

Quantum of the Seas

At the fitting of the shipyard work is underway on the first ship of the Quantum-class in full swing, as early as October 2014, the Quantum of the Seas will be completed. Then she will be the latest environmental technologies and improved energy efficiency score with their exciting entertainment news.

The North Star, a London Eye gondola views modelled at 90 meters height, will be unique. And not just for the guests, it will be a spectacular novelty, but also from marine construction perspective, the gondola is a masterpiece.

The "Two70 °" is a large area at the stern of the vessel, which is used during the day as a lounge with bar and dance floor and in the evening as a show stage. The name stands for "270 degrees" and refers to the almost all-round view through the large windows. The nightly shows, they also serve as projection.

Another innovation is the "SeaPlex", a multi-function room where the travellers can pass the time, for example, with bumper cars and basketball. The simulator "RipCord by iFly" creates even feel a real parachute jump. And even the inside cabins offer an attraction: 82-inch screens with real-time views of the sea serve as virtual balconies and provide the same view as the outside cabins.

From her future home port New York this innovative marvel with more than 4,100 passengers and 22 knots will go on the journey toward Bahamas and Bermuda and in the Caribbean.

Quantum main data of the Seas

Survey	167,800 GT
LOA	348 m
Moulded breadth	41.4 m
Decks	18
Machine performance	67,200 kW
max. Speed	22 kn
Number of passenger cabins	2094
Passengers	4188

'Love Boat' cast to christen Regal Princess

By Tom Stieghorst

Princess Cruises said the original cast of the "Love Boat" television series has been chosen to name the Regal Princess at a ceremony in November in Fort Lauderdale.

The 3,560-passenger ship has been sailing since its inaugural cruise from Venice in May.

Six "Love Boat" cast members who played the roles of Captain Stubing (), Gopher (Fred Grandy), Isaac (Ted Lange), Doc (Bernie Kopell), Julie (Lauren Tewes) and Vicki (Jill Whelan) will reunite for the Nov. 5 naming.

Princess said the christening will mark the beginning of a series of events to commemorate its 50th anniversary in 2015.

The pilot episode of The Love Boat was shot aboard Princess’ the original 730-passenger in 1977.

Quantum of the Seas float-out features 30-foot pink bear

By Tom Stieghorst

Royal Caribbean International’s Quantum of the Seas was floated out of its construction berth at the Meyer Werft shipyard sporting a 30-foot pink bear on a top deck.

The sculpture, entitled “From Afar,” is part of the ship’s 2,980-piece art collection. It is formed from 1,340 stainless steel triangles, weighs eight tons, and is intended to provoke thoughts about “What Makes Life Worth Living,” the theme of the ship’s art collection, according to Royal Caribbean.

“The pieces we have commissioned for Quantum of the Seas are stunning, engaging and, in some cases, completely unexpected,” said Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, executive vice president of operations at Royal Caribbean.

The 18-deck, 4,180-passenger Quantum will undergo two months of finishing before being delivered. It’s first voyage is scheduled for mid-November in New York.

Cunard cancels January Queen Victoria cruises

Cunard has been forced to cancel two cruises by Queen Victoria in the New Year as a result of maintenance work being brought forward by almost a year.

A 12-night cruise to the Canary Islands from Southampton on January 3-15 and a five-night trip to Amsterdam and Cherbourg January 15-20 are affected.

The work is being brought forward as a bearing on one of the ship’s propulsion units will need replacing ahead of the ship’s previously scheduled dry dock in December 2015.

“This has no impact on the safety of the ship but it is timely for the bearing to be replaced prior to the ship's round world cruise beginning January 20, 2015,” the line said.

A future cruise credit of £100 per person is being offered to all affected passengers which can be used in conjunction with any alternative Cunard booking made for cruises departing within the next two years.

Full refunds of any money paid will also be available should affected passengers not want to to re-book an alternative cruise with Cunard.

Passengers and travel agents have been informed.

Cunard director Angus Struthers said: “While we are sorry to be cancelling the two cruises, we are looking forward to welcoming all those affected back aboard a Cunard ship in the near future, perhaps on Queen Victoria or Queen Elizabeth, both of which will be sailing in 2015 fresh from their make-overs.”

Refurbishment of Queen Victoria at the Blohm & Voss shipyard in Hamburg will create nine single cabins, re-modelled from part of the ship’s casino.

Large flat-screen TVs are being installed in all cabins and sun awnings will be erected on the open area near the stern Lido pool and on both sides of the Grills Upper Terrace area near the top of the ship to offer more shade on deck.

Scrubber technology is being installed aboard Queen Victoria to match that now aboard Queen Elizabeth in line with the company’s commitment to minimising its environmental impact. This involves the installation of a filtration system for the exhaust gas from the ship’s engines.

The changes are being made following the success of sister ship Queen Elizabeth’s recent refit at the same yard.

Struthers said: “Queen Victoria’s multi-million pound refit will ensure this much-loved ship remains in tip-top condition for her world cruise in 2015 and beyond.”  

Cuisine and culture, sample-sized

By Tom Stieghorst

A cruise is a great way to try a lot of things in a short time, and usually not as good for experiencing something in depth.

I was reminded of this on a recent cruise in the Mediterranean aboard the Celebrity Silhouette.

The sampling starts upon boarding in the ship’s buffet, Oceanview Cafe. I made a point of trying the Indian food, something I’m not served at home and rarely eat at a restaurant. A spoon of this, a dollop of that and I was on my way.

For dessert, I choose from several trays of cookies, brownies, ice creams, puddings, cream puffs, cakes, pies and tarts. Most were small, or I could choose the portion size, so I could try two or three at each meal.

The concept goes beyond food. I heard and saw entertainers that I wouldn’t seek out or likely pay for at home, including the Sin City comedy/burlesque show that Celebrity has adapted from Las Vegas.

I’m not well versed in modern art, but over the course of a seven-day cruise I probably spent half an hour looking at and reading about the ship’s collection. It wasn’t like a visit to an art museum, but it may inspire me to go.

I read parts of four books from the ship’s library and finished none of them.

My wife and I made friends with couples from Germany, England and Spain over end-of-the-day drinks, but I don’t think they’ll be lasting relationships.

Nowhere is the sampler concept more evident than in the destinations that we visited. At our favorite port of call, we were in Greece for about six hours. Part of it was consumed by a quick taxi ride across the island to a nice beach, where we spent about two hours.

After a taxi back to the main town, we did a little pre-dinner shopping and sought out a restaurant we’d read about. We only had a little time for exploring after dinner and then it was back to the ship.

We are dying to return, feeling like we could have spent six days, not six hours.

It was a wonderful cruise but, alas, it was not an immersive experience of Greece. However, in addition to two stops in Greece, we visited Italy, Croatia and Turkey in the course of a seven-night trip. It was a great sampler of that part of the world and not easy to do as seamlessly any other way.

Cruise ships to be banned from Venice

Summary - Celebrities including British stars Sir Michael Caine and Julie Christie had backed the campaign.

An international campaign to ban large cruise liners from Venice has been successful, with the Italian government confirming massive ships will be blocked from the city centre from 2015.

British celebrities such as Sir Michael Caine and Julie Christie had supported a petition lobbying for a change in the law, with cruise ships currently able to pass within sight of the iconic St Mark's Square.

Despite the victory for the campaign, there is already opposition to the Italian government's proposal to create an alternative route into Venice for cruise liners, reports the Telegraph.

Gianfranco Bettin, a councillor for the Greens Party, stated that councils will need to be involved before a decision can be made on the plans.

Transport minister Maurizio Lupi was among those to approve plans to block cruise liners from Venice, which is known as the Queen of the Adriatic and listed by Unesco as a World Heritage site.

He said: "It seems to me to be a balanced solution which takes account of our duty to remove the skyscrapers of the sea from the canals of Venice, while safeguarding a world heritage city that is the envy of the world and protecting the city's economy which is so linked to cruise tourism."

Bermuda launches Horseshoe Bay shuttle for cruisers

By Tom Stieghorst

Bermuda cruise visitors will be able to ride a dedicated shuttle to Horseshoe Bay Beach, starting this week.

The shuttle, sponsored by the West End Development Corp. and the Ministry of Tourism and Transit, is expected to take pressure off of the crowded public buses that cruise tourists have been using.

Priced at $16 roundtrip, the shuttles will leave the cruise pier from 8 a.m. to 3 pm daily. The last return bus leaves at 6 p.m.

The minibus shuttle will serve the King’s Wharf terminal, which is used by Norwegian Breakaway and Norwegian Dawn, Celebrity Summit and Royal Caribbean International’s Explorer of the Seas.

Family Cruising Basics

The basics of family cruising on a budgetBy: John L. Beath

Different cruise lines offer everything from water slides and pool parties to talent shows and culinary classes. // © 2014 Thinkstock

Cruising with the family might be the best vacation value short of pitching a tent in your backyard. A family cruise includes all meals, most onboard activities and stops at different ports for the family to enjoy as they see fit.

According to Cruise Line International Association, the fastest-growing segment of the market is the 25 to 40 age group. Young families in this demographic — as well as families with older kids — have the opportunity to spend less and get more on a cruise, if they know how.

For starters, families on a budget should decide which cruise line best fits their family, budget and style of vacation. Disney Cruise Lines, for instance, offers the most kid-friendly activities, but at a steeper price. On a Disney cruise, however, there is always something going on, including parties, character autograph sessions, musicals, movies, games, princess parties, animation lessons and more.

Carnival Cruise Lines, on the other hand, often offers an affordable cruise for families on a budget. And most of the Carnival ships now offer waterslides, rope courses, miniature golf and Camp Carnival, where kids ages 2 to 11 years old can spend most of the day with other kids in an activity-based program. Kids 12 to 14 can join Club C and play video games, participate in talent shows, have pool parties and more. Teens 15 to 17 go to Club O2 and enjoy their own nightclub-like room where activity leaders keep them entertained. Club O2 sometimes offers special excursions as well.

Royal Caribbean Cruises contracted with DreamWorks to offer Hollywood-style cruises that kids love. Children and adults alike enjoy 3-D movies, parades and character meals. Barbie also joined Royal Caribbean last year — at a cost of $199 per child, the kids can participate in the Barbie Premium Experience aimed at cruisers 4 to 11 years old. Royal Caribbean Cruises also offers special dining for children ages 3 to 11. After young ones finish eating, staff members escort them to the kids club while parents enjoy a romantic dinner at a more relaxed pace.

Holland America Line (HAL) offers Club HAL for kids ages 3 to 17, providing karaoke, pajama parties, swim parties, scavenger hunts, video game tournaments, pizza making and talent shows. Club HAL activities are supervised by full-time staff, all of whom hold degrees in education, childhood development, recreation, leisure studies or other related fields. Families with teenagers might want to consider HAL for its great teen program. The Loft — or The Oasis, depending on the ship — is an entire deck accessible via a secret passageway that is devoted to teens. It features a nightclub venue, a juice bar and a swimming pool. Some teens can choose to participate in digital workshops, culinary classes or other educational programs too.

Norwegian Cruise Line partnered with Nickelodeon and offers a wide variety of activities for kids of all ages. Younger ones will enjoy Dora’s Dance Party, meet and greets with Nickelodeon characters or a themed arts and crafts party. Kids as young as 6 months to 12 years old can sign up for Splash Academy, but at least one parent or adult must accompany kids ages 6 months to 3 years. Teens up to 17 enjoy Entourage, where they play sports, take part in theater and fashion workshops or have pool parties. With “Free Style” cruising, families can do what they want, when they want, including dining. This freedom makes for a more relaxed schedule without the hassles of strict timelines.

MSC Cruise Line’s Divina offers a robust complimentary childrens program. Kids ages 3 to 12 years old can experience Kids Club all day long, with MSC staff supervising. It also offers High-Seas Hangouts for teens 13 to 17 years old. The Teen Club offers dance classes, a virtual world arcade, sports, games and tournaments. At night, teens can play trivia, enjoy live music and dance. Teens can also get a pre-paid “Teen Card” for small onboard purchases.

Stateroom Options
Some of the cruise lines offer a “kids sail free” program and charge only for room taxes and gratuities. Others offer specialized cabins with drop-down bunks or sofa-beds to accommodate up to five family members. These rooms book fast because they provide the best value for a family and should be booked as far in advance as possible. Booking these rooms works best with younger kids — families with older kids capable of being on their own should consider two rooms. Some cabins also have connecting doors, and balcony rooms also have the ability to open the outside partition between cabins to create a single bigger balcony shared by the family.

“I suggest one outside room and one inside room across the hall,” said West Coast Travel’s Jim Manning.

Most cruise lines now offer family-style suites, with one or two bedrooms and a central living area that can be used as an additional sleeping space with fold-out couches. These rooms cost more but can provide the ideal space for families who want to stay together but have some privacy as well.

When to book the family cruise also plays an important role in saving big dollars for the family. Deals during wave season might include shipboard credits, discounted airfares, free shore excursions and room upgrades.

Other ways to stretch a family vacation budget include cruising during shoulder seasons. For instance, in the Caribbean, peak season begins in late November and runs through June. Booking before or after peak season will help families save. Shoulder season in Alaska would be the first one or two cruises of the season and the last one or two at the end of the season.

“You should also consider ‘repositioning cruises’ for your best price,” said Manning.

Repositioning cruises are often priced lower because they occur during the shoulder season and they don’t start and end at the same port. These cruises may increase the airfare costs for a family, but could also work in a family’s favor, depending on where a cruise begins or ends. Repositioning cruises sometimes work well for reunions because family members come from different cities.

Planning a family reunion onboard a cruise ship can solve many problems, including where to go, who does the cooking, who cleans up the mess and how much it will cost. Since cruise ships offer so many room categories with different price points, everyone who comes to the family reunion can choose the room and shore excursions for his or her budget, while enjoying the same high-quality experience.

Horror stories told in support of cruise legislation

By Tom Stieghorst

Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) began his final push for tighter regulation of the cruise industry with a hearing that put some of the worst stories about cruising on public display.

Four witnesses painted a picture of cruise line self-interest and incompetence during emergency situations on cruise ships. No industry witnesses were called to rebut their testimony.

The July 23 hearing was in support of Rockefeller’s Cruise Passenger Protection Act, which cruise lines say is burdensome and would lead to higher overall costs that get shifted to cruisers.

Rockefeller is chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, which held the hearing.

Rather than try to pass the act on its own, Rockefeller’s political strategy is to fold it into must-pass legislation to authorize U.S. Coast Guard operations for the next two years.

“If you separate this, the Coast Guard bill will pass and the cruise ship bill will get flushed down the toilet,” he said. “My job as chairman is to make sure we don’t play the game that way.”

Rockefeller’s apparent animus toward the cruise industry was evident for much of the hearing. He opened it by saying the industry “continues to deny it has a problem,” has “circled the wagons” and sometimes treats customers “with shocking callousness and disregard.”

“We continue to see the same issues continuing to continue,” he said. “I’m fed up with it. I’m fed up with them trying to stonewall us. Yes, they have lots of money and lobbyists.

“We’re going to win this one,” he said.

Rockefeller bolstered his case for stronger regulation with stories such as Amanda Butler’s, whose mother collapsed last year upon returning from a shore excursion. Butler blamed the cruise line for her mother’s death, which she attributed to an anoxic brain injury.
“My mother died needlessly because the main emergency protocol was not followed or enforced,” she said.

Other witnesses included Laurie Dishman, who testified she was raped on a ship in 2006; Kimberly Ware, a passenger on the Carnival Triumph cruise that lost power because of an engine fire; and Philip Gerson, a Miami attorney who testified that a 15-year-old autistic client was raped.

In a statement, CLIA said that the hearing “presented a distorted picture of an industry that has an exceptional guest care and safety record. “

“It also did not provide a balanced view that would help policy makers and the public better understand the full implications of the Cruise Passenger Protection Act — and why it is not needed,” the statement said.

During the hearing, Rockefeller asserted the bill is needed, based on feedback from several hearings. He has proposed:

• Giving consumers a plain-language summary of the terms in a cruise contract.
• Making the Transportation Department (DOT) the lead regulator over cruise ship consumer protection, as in the airline industry.
• Creating a toll-free hotline for consumer complaints and a standing advisory committee to recommend cruise consumer protection improvements.
• Requiring that all allegations of crime on a cruise ship be made publicly available.
• Mandating video camera placement in public areas and setting rules for archiving video footage.
• Establishing a victim advocate at the DOT who would provide help to crime victims, make sure they’re aware of their rights and facilitate access to appropriate law enforcement.

In its statement, CLIA called Rockefeller’s bill “a solution in search of a problem.”

“The cruise industry is already heavily regulated,” said the statement, which called adding a new layer of federal regulation and bureaucracy, “both unjustified and unnecessary.“

Rockefeller said he called a hearing with those directly affected by cruise ship problems to try to drive home the need for his remedies.

Butler, who is from Columbus, Miss., was in the gangway area of the Carnival Conquest last year when her mother passed out. She said it took 10 minutes for a nurse to arrive, no one performed CPR, and the cardiac defibrillators were locked, as was the ship’s infirmary. She said Carnival put her family off the ship in search of a hospital with little aid.

Carnival Cruise Lines, in a written statement, said the ship’s medical staff responded and the patient was successfully resuscitated and then transferred to a shore-side medical facility.

It said shipboard doctors and nurses carry radios and mobile phones to ensure prompt response to emergencies and that defibrillators are on all Carnival ships in a variety of locations.

Ware provided a personal account of the problems that were publicized on CNN and elsewhere after the Feb. 10, 2013, fire and power outage on the Carnival Triumph.

Carnival noted that everyone returned safely from that cruise, received a full refund, $500 cash, reimbursement of expenses and other compensation. It said Ware “is part of a group of litigants who are partnering with plaintiff’s counsel for the purpose of opportunistic financial gain.”

Only a few of the 24 senators on committee attended the 90-minute hearing, including Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), a co-sponsor of Rockefeller’s bill, and Mark Begich (D-Alaska), who wondered if consumers would really look at a DOT website before buying a cruise.

Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) said he thought cruise consumer protections should be considered on their own and not as part of the Coast Guard act.

Strategically, if Rockefeller can get them into the larger bill, which has multiple constituencies, they could be approved by the Senate and then adopted in conference by the House, which already passed a Coast Guard bill without the Rockefeller measures.

It will be the cruise industry swan song for Rockefeller, who retires next January after three decades in Congress. He urged cruise lines to “honestly consider” whether they could improve consumer protections.

“I believe there are steps you can take, and I will continue pushing you to make them,” he said.